Bump in the Night
by RedWingedAngel002
Summary: Not all guardians needed to be angels. One-shot; AU.


A Munto Fanfiction: Bump in the Night © RedWingedAngel002  
Disclaimer: Munto; Sora Miageru Shōjo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai © Kyoto Animation; Yoshiji Kigami and Tomoe Aratani  
Genre: Angst, Drama, Suspense, and Supernatural  
Summary: Not all guardians needed to be angels. One-shot; AU.

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A/N: This one-shot was based off of a dream I had last night. I still don't know what's going on.  
A view plan of Yumemi's house may be of use. Made by yours truly: tmblr. co/ZE8fixsT4EV3

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Songs: _Aiden's Theme_ by: Lorne Balfe

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Japanese Index:  
Okaa-san, 'Kaa-chan: Mother, Mom, Momma (Towards mother)  
Otou-san, 'Tou-chan: Father, Dad, Daddy (Towards father)

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"Talking."  
'_Thinking.'_  
_Memories/Flashbacks._

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One-Shot: The Guardian

Yumemi woke in a cold sweat, gasping and quiver spelled. She was uncertain of what disrupted her slumber, but she sure wished she were still cradled within the fantasy's lulling caress. The air's tension was buzzing; she could feel it heavy and cold on her nape.

Encouraging herself out of the covers, she rose, while eyes of emerald searched the open vicinity, finding all up to par. Except it was not.

Finally pinpointing what was off: she realized it was her younger brother's breathing. It was too quiet. Craning over the wall space, which separated their sleeping sections, she whispered out to the seven-year-old.

"Chikara. Chikara?"

The bed was empty. He must have gone to the bathroom or shied to the arms of her parents' comfort from a night terror. Despite her middle school turning, she may… just take a peek.

Yumemi removed the thin blanket, emptying her hands towards her restlessness, and placed a barefoot onto the wooden panels. An expectant squeak escaped from her lightweight, cold at her ankles.

With her back to the window, she took another unsettling note, her trek still. It was a new moon tonight, or was supposed to be. Her blonde crown veered to the gossamer curtain, locks billowing, fearful of the unknown. It was nowhere near dawn.

…Why was it so bright?

Shuffling to the source, quaking fingers took a sliver-glance outside. Something was flickering overhead. Purple lightning, yet echoed with no thunder. She could not quite see it from her angle, it being straight above her roof. She resumed back into the dark, unable to shake the worrisome feeling.

There was a thump overhead, where she decided yes, it was time to check on her family. Her footing resumed and she skittered as quietly as she could when another sound followed from downstairs.

Finger pressed to the wall, the girl found herself shaking when she entered the looming hallway, passing the lavatory and her father's office, and pushed open her parents' door.

"'Kaa-san… 'Tou-san…?"

Wider still, their presence was naught; only the ominous shadows dance across their disrupted sheets. In this realization, her left hand recoiled from the handle as if burned and to her chest, eyes flickering into the growing pitch corners. Jumping, she had to bite her tongue when another disruption came from the stairs.

In a situation of 'Flight or Fight'… She chose to run.

Without second thought, the teen swept into room, locking it shut, and crawled under the cavities of the mattress. Surprisingly clean and limited of dust critters, she shoved herself as far as she could, until her back was at the wall. Fists at either side of her head, Yumemi tried to calm herself by counting:

"O-one…"

Toes aching and lint at her nostrils, she bunched into herself further, knees at her chest.

"Two."

Watching the doorway, she rocked herself back and forth, just as she had once been by loved ones in her youth.

"Three."

The temperature dropped and her breath became cold; she could see the slight fog as it escaped her hyperventilating lungs.

"…F-four."

She squeezed her eyes close, desperately willing to wake up from this nightmare.

"Fi—"

The handle turned; ever so quiet, but she could still hear it. Breath bated and gaze peeled on the sliver beneath the door, she watched the entry slowly opened and shut.

An animal. Paws large and talons clicking when it strode around the two Northern corners, a pair of wings folded when it situated itself poised a front the window. She dared not to move, despite the unguarded back, while its shadow overbore with what little she could see from outside.

"I know you are there," it spoke, male, while booming bass, too low, resonated with his baritone. *1

Her hands clamped over her mouth to muffle her whimpering and she silently prayed for help.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you." There was no humor in his voice.

Uncoiling to stretch on her underbelly, she peeped from her nook. His silhouette revealed a mane, sprouted horns, and the body of a winged lion.

"A-Are you some sort of demon?" she whispered.

He scrutinized her over his right shoulder, eyes vivid and glowing like two beacon suns. Smirking, his fangs were pristine and razor.

She shrunk more so until her quivering chin touched the floor. "Are you sure you're not going to e-eat me?"

The corners of his lips fell and resumed forward with a simple response, "Stay away from the light."

Yumemi watched his tale sway in lazed rhythm, until another much louder clatter outside the hall caused her to tense stiff.

"What's going on?" She tried to swallow the lament in her throat. "W-where is my family?"

"Hush," he chided.

A long silence overcame them, until broken by her own quiet protests as she miserably wiped away her tears.

"Girl," his voice rumbled, a distraction, "what is your name?"

Sniffling, she hiccupped, "Yu-me-mi."

"Yumemi, listen well," he stood from his guarded position, on all fours, and started to walk towards the door. "I know you do not understand what is happening, but I need you to believe in me. Do not hesitate with what I tell you from here on out."

She watched from her limited vision, to see his paws transform into a pair of boots. "O-okay."

Paused at entry, there was a sword draw, metal humming when the hilt was released. The blonde crawled to the opposite post for better view, licking her chapped mouth.

Her savior still reflected his animalistic qualities: hair blood red, like his caped counter part and clad leather, while his horns, chest, and wrists were adorned with golden armor. His weapon glowed hot, metal confined in crusted magma.

Arms stretched forward, his maroon footing stood in a fighting stance. "Let's go!"

The entry burst open with a void of black flying creatures. A petrified scream escaped Yumemi, as she huddled close for cover, to merely hear the ripping of their long limbs and clawing at the floor. There were some, which tugged at her pajama pants, only to be staked through and burned to smoke. Rocking, she again counted, focusing on her voice, only to hear nothingness by the stroke of ten.

"Yumemi." Her leaking vision waxed open and bore into catseye bullion. A clawed hand stretched for aid, his rings and bracelets catching in the purple light. "Come, Yumemi."

Several heartbeats later, she accepted it, warm in her grasp, and pulled herself from underneath. Sitting on her heels, she soaked in the aftermath, which lay in a meadow of snow-burst ash. Craning up high to his towering height was his face, blank slated and so foreign. Her left palm was still in his when she struggled to lift herself.

"You need to get up." His tone was snip.

"I-I'm sorry. My legs won't work," her crown bowed in defeat.

He tugged at her again, smelling of soot, ginger, and flame, so close with her nose at his chest. His speared earrings jingled at the sudden movement, where she was bound in a furnace, almost too uncomfortably warm in his grasp.

"Hold on," he said, much softer than the previous cord.

Awestruck, her gaping mouth closed when she nodded in affirmative.

He looked ahead, jumping over the mattress, and opened the glass barrier. Wind billowed the drapes and her hair, like honeyed ribbons, and he stepped afoot the patio ledge. Jumping high, she watched from over his shoulder, two longhaired figures towered for dominance upon her rooftop. The opal female, clawed at the ink blue male, robed and sparking. Both struck as fierce and three stories high.

Yumemi resumed back at the man's profile, scowled and with flaming determination. Even if in the dark, she knew that all she had was but her reverent faith.

"Hey," she whispered, curled into his neck. "What do I call you?"

It was then that she decided, that perhaps not all guardians needed to be angels.

"Munto."

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A/N: So, my dream only ended when _something_ came into my room, while I was at my old house and obviously not Yumemi, but improvised since I liked the tone. Cheers and Happy New Year.

—Ari [1.9.15]

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*1: Take the animal gods in _Princess Mononoke_ towards this description.


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